Welcome to Sunday Worship
The United Church of Gainesville – June 14, 2020
Welcome, Prayers of the People, and Special Music
Rev. Talia Raymond and Shelby Hall
“Homeward Bound” by Simon and Garfunkel, offered by Briana (Raymond) Tierno, Talia Raymond, and Wayne Raymond
Time with Children and Scripture Reading
The Parable of the Sower and the Seed
Told by: Aiyana Duerksen-Raymond, Gwendolyn Tierno, and Gideon Tierno
The Parable of the Sower: Remixed and Retold by Deon Winchester
Background Music: Jackie Mittoo’s Drum Song
A wise teacher once taught
Who have eyes, let them see
Who have ears, let them hear
Who have hearts, let them feel This,
The parable of the sower
An allegory remixed and retold
From the days of old
Of a faithful farmer
Sowing seeds
When,
Some seeds fell on soil
It was really rocky you all
Conditions,
Not ideal at all
Yet,
The sun is shining
Seeds are sprouting
Striving,
One life to live they give it their all
To be what nature intends to be
And though these seeds sprang up
Quickly,
Some succumbed
Scorched by the heat
Unable to become
What nature wants to be
So go figure,
Some leaves refuse to wither
How could it be?
Do my eyes deceive me?
BEHOLD!
For some seeds did not succumb
To the doubts of what has become
Misperceived to be weedy
Not welcomed in this scenery
Here come the blades again and again
And again poison for judgment fire rain.
Be Still and Behold
These seeds are indeed hardy They overcome
And be,
Springing up again and again.
Is this an anomaly but no mystery
You see,
Its roots found a route through the rocks
Deeply,
Seeking,
Knowledge, wisdom, & understanding
They intuitively found the rivers of waters in the aquifers below
And so,
Like seeeeds like planted in fertile soil
In due season,
They prosper,
Blooming, yielding, thirty, sixty, a hundred-fold!
And what’s the reason they strive to stay alive?
So its seeds can now take flight and survive
Wherever dispersed throughout this blessed mother earth
Forever assured that come what may
With resiliency ingrained in its DNA
They live on & on & on & on & on….to find a way
To be for all days what, ALMIGHTY GOD created to be.
“Good Soil” Rev. Talia Raymond
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Here are the UCG friends celebrating a birthday this week.
Happy Birthday!
Cielle Ksstentini 6/14
Joyce Griffiths 6/15
Janet Haase 6/15
Sam Harris 6/15
Ted Runions 6/15
Joan Stevens 6/15
Steven Wallace 6/15
Jim Archer 6/16
Judah Bachmann 6/16
Renata Serra 6/18
Jamie Wenzell 6/18
Bill Williams 6/18
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Sunday Seminar at 11:15am – Holy Zoom: Meet and Greet with Shelby Hall – Talia Raymond and Shelby Hall will be available on our Zoom account to talk and share. This week will be an opportunity for Shelby to introduce herself and for you to ask any questions you may have for her. Join here.
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Ray Meeks’ Birthday – This is Ray Meeks’ fourth birthday since being released from death row. He is now at the Wakulla Correctional Institution, 110 Melaleuca Drive, Crawfordville, FL 32327. If you write to him there address it to Douglas Raymond Meeks #046346. Every year we receive contributions for Ray at Christmas and in June for his birthday. Please Send checks made out to UCG with a memo Ray Meeks, or donate online here. Thanks for your continued care and prayers for Ray over the years. You have blessed him beyond words.
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If you are a regular supporter through our collected offering, please consider making your donation now. Our budgeted (anticipated) amount of Plate Income for 2020 is $40,000, so we rely on the weekly passing of the plate. To GIVE, click here to make a one-time donation to UCG -or- to set up a recurring donation via your bank account or credit card: https://www.shelbygiving.com/App/Giving/ucg Thank you for your support.
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Please note: The summer hours for the church “office” are 9am – 4pm.
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Prayer Concerns:
For those recovering from surgery, Connie Caldwell, Priscilla Arinson, and Jim Archer
Patt Shille, who is having surgery on June 16
Shirley Drummond, who continues to be in hospice care
Ray Meeks, whose 67th birthday is on June 28
We pray in solidarity for those who demonstrate for justice, equality, and compassion for our siblings of color.
We take our blessed rest in these safe and sacred spaces and then we carry on, strengthened by our bonds, to do the work of making the beloved community a true reality. Amen